AIA Atlanta | AIA Georgia Offices

AIA is the voice for architecture, advocating for the value of design, diversity of our profession, and ecological strength of our communities. AIA Georgia and AIA Atlanta provide the platform and resources that enable over 2,000 members in the state to become better professionals for their communities. Our design focused on creating a series of experiences that balances the need for staff to work effectively on a daily business, while welcoming members and the public at large.

Design Challenge

The primary challenge was, within a compact area, to create an space that offers a high degree of flexibility and adaptability. To accomplish this, we began by working closely with the staff to identify their needs on a daily basis. Their desire for an open, collaborative environment that maximized the available northern daylight and views led to placing this area in a single zone, anchored by private offices that contain large glazed windows. A gallery space at the entry and a large, flexible meeting space allow for a variety of programs and exhibits to be hosted. Dividing the two areas but creating large, movable openings between them, allows the staff to participate when needed but remain focused while other activities take place. Materially, there was a conscious decision to uncover and work with the Hurt Building’s existing historic material fabric, such as the existing cast iron windows, marble flooring, existing steel structure, etc. To compliment this, we sought to involve local manufacturing, craft, and fabrication to the greatest extent possible.

Physical Context

We believe that architecture expresses its clearest power through a heightened material quality and presence. Creating a greater awareness of the common traits - light, air, proportion, beauty- which we all share and which cost no more or less to use are values shared among all architects, regardless of how these are ultimately expressed. Our design brought light deep into every regularly occupied space, through large folding doors and sandblasted glazing. Hardwoods native to the southeast were utilized, including reclaimed ash. All materials and assemblies met stringent VOC standards. Several components were recycled from the previous buildout, including most of the interior doors.